|
Buena Park Rotary Club, in cooperation with North Orange County Community Rotaract Club, will provide college preparatory workshops throughout the school year and will award $3000 worth of Kindle Fires which can be used for access to purchase digital textbooks to deserving high school seniors at Buena Park High School and Savannah High School.
Both Buena Park and Savannah High Schools are schools where a majority of the students' parents have not attended college. Buena Park Rotary Club mentors students at both schools. We are assisted in this process by the North Orange County Community Rotaract at Buena Park High School, since with our assistance, they run a mentoring program and do workshops for students to help them prepare for college.
Many students need more information about being ready for college, and motivation to get through the application process. This last year, the kinds of workshops that were given with our assistance by our Rotaract Club at the high school level included: "Aim to be Exceptional," "Professionalism," and "Major Exploration." These workshops provide very valuable information for the students.
Purpose of the Kindle Fire Digital Textbooks: Last year, the North Orange County Community Rotaract decided to promote the Kindle as a method of handing out scholarships to High School students. With our Rotary Club's help, they were able to give out 5 of these machines to deserving students at one high school. The Kindle Fire machines give students access to thousands of eBook textbooks through their online bookshop at a much more reasonable price than buying hardcover textbooks. For example, a typical 9th grade Biology hardcover textbook would cost $188.61, but a digital copy on the Kindle would be just $112.33, for a savings of $76.28. Such a savings tool would be useful throughout their college career.
Student financial need will be a key consideration in the application process. Prime consideration would be given to students who have participated 2 or more years in their Interact Club (providing service to their schools and communities), who have attended college preparatory workshops presented by the North Orange County Community Rotaract in tandem with our Rotary Club, who have shown strong academic performance, and who live by the 4-Way Test.
Timeline:
February, 2015 - Application forms will be distributed to Interactors and others by their Interact Advisors and by the School Office Managers (who are Associate Members of the BP Rotary Club) Besides the application, students will be expected to turn in copies of their high school transcripts, two recommendations from teachers, and proof that they have applied to college(s).
April, 2015 - Applications due. The Screening Committee will meet to review the applications, transcripts, recommendations from teachers and proof of college applications, and then choose recipients for each of the 2 high schools where our BP Rotary Club sponsors and supports an Interact Club. The Committee will consist of at least 5 active Rotary club members and 5 members of the North Orange County Community Rotaract.
May, 2015 - At a Rotary Club meeting, Rotarians and Rotaractors will announce winners and present Kindle Fires. Recipients will be recognized and honored for their good service and academic efforts, and participation in college workshops. Recipients will be asked to share about their future plans and goals.During end-of-year events and academic assemblies, student recipients will be recognized for their achievements in Interact, their academic efforts and participation in college preparatory workshops. They will be presented with certificates by Rotary Club members and Rotaract members.
Funding: 16GB Kindle Fire digital textbooks costing approximately $220 each (includes tax and shipping) will probably allow us to provide 6 machines per each of the two high schools at which we sponsor an Interact Club: Savanna and Buena Park High School.
Articles will be written by Rotarians to highlight these students and their service activities and submitted to local news organizations, posted on our BPRotary website (www.bprotary.org), and sent in to District 5320 news.
| 
